"What was demonstrated in that courtroom was that the constitution does mean something." — Steve Monaghan, president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, one of the unions that filed the lawsuit against the

voucher program.

"It is no surprise that State District Judge

Tim Kelley today ruled the unnecessarily aggressive and overreaching

statewide

voucher program unconstitutional. A strategic use of state-funded

vouchers could be appropriate, but this diversion of public

education dollars was a step too far and diminishes resources for

meaningful reform efforts already under way at the local

level."

— U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La.

"We're going to do everything we can to make sure those kids are where their parents want them to be." — Superintendent of Education John White.

"This legal battle attempts to prevent children who have been assigned to persistently failing schools the opportunity for

a better education at the school their parents have determined is in their best interest." — Penny Dastugue, president of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"Judge Tim Kelly's decision to declare Act 2

— Gov. Jindal's voucher plan — an unconstitutional use of Minimum

Foundation

Formula Program dollars is a victory for all those who believe

that public education is an essential pillar of our democracy

and of our prosperity."

— Karen Carter Peterson, a New Orleans state senator and chair of the Louisiana Democratic Party.